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Packers WR Allison sidelined by core muscle injury

The Green Bay Packers made a number of roster moves on Tuesday, most notably placing a key part of the offense on injured reserve and making a surprising cut on defense.

Wide receiver Geronimo Allison, who suffered a groin injury at practice last week and did not play in the team's 31-17 loss at New England on Sunday night, will require surgery for the injury and was placed on injured reserve. The move means he has to sit out at least eight weeks, so the only way he can play again this season is in the playoffs.

That was the expected move. The surprise came when the team released safety Jermaine Whitehead. After the Packers traded Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to the Washington Redskins last week, Whitehead was considered one of the favorites to take Clinton-Dix's spot in the Packers' lineup.

Instead, Tramon Williams replaced Clinton-Dix as the starter, and when Whitehead slapped Patriots center David Andrews in the head during Sunday night's game and drew an ejection, that likely sealed his fate.

"The Whitehead penalty was clearly a classic reaction to the first guy," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said during his Monday news conference. "And they catch the second guy. Whatever your feeling is, the severity of the penalty is a whole other topic. But ... you can't have that. You can't react to those types of things. Yeah, we need to be better there."

Also Tuesday, the club promoted cornerback Will Redmond from the practice squad and signed linebacker Brady Sheldon to the practice squad.

Allison, in his third season, had 20 receptions for 303 yards and two touchdowns in five games this season. The yards already were a career high for him.